FORUM

You may automatically switch to a different Combat Style if you perform a Balancing Maneuver while fulfilling one of the following; spending 1 Mood point, using an Inspiration or performing a Critical Hit. You must still open with a Balancing Maneuver as usual.
At Major Level you may also invoke this effect when performing non-Balancing Maneuvers.
At Grand Level you may open with a Maneuver as if you had already performed that Combat Style's Balancing Maneuvers.

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

Whenever you spend a Mood point or use an Inspiration while using an offensive Maneuver, you may replace the Attack Die with your Strength Die.
At Major Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free twice per Battle.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free thrice per Battle.

Whenever you spend a Mood point or use an Inspiration while using an offensive Maneuver, you may replace the Attack Die with your Quickness Die.
At Major Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free twice per Battle.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free thrice per Battle.

Whenever you spend a Mood point or use an Inspiration while using an offensive Maneuver, you may replace the Attack Die with your Reason Die.
At Major Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free twice per Battle.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free thrice per Battle.

Whenever you spend a Mood point or use an Inspiration while using an offensive Maneuver, you may replace the Attack Die with your Magic Die. If this attack is normally weapon-based it now counts as a Magic attack as well.
At Major Level you may choose to target an opponent one area away when invoking this Talent's effect.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free once per Battle.

Whenever you spend a Mood point or use an Inspiration while using an offensive Maneuver, you may replace the Attack Die with your Charisma Die.
At Major Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free twice per Battle.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free thrice per Battle.

Whenever you spend a Mood point or use an Inspiration while using an offensive Maneuver, you may replace the Attack Die with your Heart Die.
At Major Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free twice per Battle.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free thrice per Battle.

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

Thank you, sir. =)
Just doing my part to beef up the combat options. ^_^

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

Upon gaining this Talent select one Combat Style you know. This Talent can only be utilized with that Combat Style.

Whenever you spend a Mood point or utilize an Inspiration you may invoke the following effect...
Choose one legal Maneuver for this round. You may act as if you had performed the chosen Maneuver last Round and declare the actual Maneuver you are going to perform this Round from the chosen Maneuver’s position.
At Major Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free once per Battle.
At Grand Level you may invoke this Talent's effect for free twice per Battle.

In Example
Let's say MacLeod used the Warrior's Strike Maneuver of the Freesword Combat Style last round. Normally his next Maneuver would be a Balancing Maneuver, Passing Slash, Ranieri's Attack, or Onslaught, right? Utilizing the Insightful Transition Talent, MacLeod expends 1 Mood Point and declares Onslaught. Because of Insightful Transition MacLeod is now allowed to choose any of the Maneuvers he could have before with the addition of the following; Unbalancing Feint and Free Sword Strike. This selection is made as if he had just used Onslaught instead of Warrior's Strike.

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

Frank, sir, I was wondering... Does using Inspirations, Critical Hits and Mood points the way I do with my Talents break the feel of your game?

I know folks end up largely using a game their own way but I was just wondering if the items I'm suggesting are muddying your vision at all.

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

You may only select this Talent if you began as a Savage or are a Prince/ss of Wolves and have at least 3 Levels of Savage.

You gain access to the Claw/Claw/Bite Monster Combat Style at Apprentice rank.
At Major Level you may perform all Tricks at one die higher (including Defense) whilst utilizing the Claw/Claw/Bite Combat Style.
At Grand Level you Master the Claw/Claw/Bite Monster Combat Style.

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

Well as you said you like the tactical aspect of the game. and I can see that! :)

The first couple of Talents say when spending a Mood Point... is that spending a Mood Point for that talent or any time you spend a Mood Point? (Can you normally spend mood points... ? I can't remember right this moment... I feel like you can right?!)

for Vermin Lord... does Death Lore allow changing your body like that as a close or High spell? its cool, but almost seems more like you would need both Were Magic and Death Lore to make a spell fusion like this.

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Jason

You are cursed with undeath. Arguably you are fortunate for your mind remains. Increase your Body and Strength by 1 but your Charisma and Heart are both reduced by 1.
At Major Level you gain access to the Undead Monster Combat Style at Master rank.
At Grand Level you become immune to Critical Hits.

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\

Hm, for something like this, I'd say whenever spending a Mood point. Mood points are even more valuable in the revised version because you can spend one to soak a point of damage (you're so on top of things that you just manage to dodge, or you're so invigorated that a laceration isn't going to bring you down right now).

Also, talents are more valuable in the revised version. The way talents work now, you get a maximum of three, but they get more powerful as you go up in levels. Each talent in a chain includes all the previous, lower-level talents in that chain. You can swap talents in and out by spending enough time training - you stop practicing one talent and then start practicing another and soon enough the new has replaced the old. One big reason for going with this method is that it cuts down dramatically on the time to create a high-level NPC. Also it's in keeping with the rules-light/medium side of things. Most importantly it hasn't really felt in play like a PC has lost any complexity, so that, combined with the ease of high-level NPC creation, has made it the way to go. All of which means to say that talents are important, so if you're taking one that requires a Mood or Inspiration use to activate, then it should be even more important. Therefore I'd go with the "anytime you spend a Mood point, even if for another use primarily, the talent activates."

As for the other question - does this sort of Talent break my personal sense of the game - no, not at all. Some of these talents are a little off-balance with respect to the power level of other things, but that's to be expected since you haven't seen those other things in the revised version yet. :) But the idea of being able to activate a special power with Mood or Inspiration - sure. I think there's ample precedent for it in fantasy literature - everything from the Hulk and limit breaks to Princess Bride style True Love - and it seems fairly "realistic" to me as well. There aren't any talents powered like that in the revised version, but it wouldn't be out of keeping with the rest, in my opinion.

So I'm going to update my Talents today... ... ... or try to at least. =P

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/*~Matthew Miller~*\